Mujer Indigena

by Vim Nadera

96 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Tayabas-born but Sampaloc-bred VICTOR EMMANUEL CARMELO D. NADERA, JR. is an award-winning poet, fictionist, playwright, and essayist. A B.S. and M.A. in Clinical Psychology degree-holder from the University of Santo Tomas, he pioneers Poetry Therapy in the country. A series of free sessions to cancer patients led to "Asia's first expressive art workshop" at the National Arts Center in 1995 and the staging of his satire Sens Op Tyumor in 1996. Among his outreach programs is the Three Ps , implemented in different hospitals and for which he has won support from the Philippine Society of Oncologists in different hospitals. In addition to being a member of Kapisanan ng May K sa Pilipinas (KMKP), the umbrella organization of support groups of cancer survivors in the Philippines, Nadera is involved with several universities and the writers' groups LIRA, UMPIL, and PETA Writers' Bloc. He founded the UST Writers' Workshop and the Moving the Pen Journalism/Literary Seminar in 1991, as well as the USTETIKA, which has been producing rosters of great young writers since 1989. At the University of the Philippines, he has been inspiring students since he organized Gatula (1996) and other groups known for Performance Poetry. Considered the "father of performance poetry in the Philippines," he represented the Philippines in the Kuala Lumpur World Poetry Reading (Malaysia, 2000), International Seminar on Southeast Asian Literature (Malaysia, 2001), Asia Arts Net Annual Conference (Taiwan, 2001) and Balagtasan sa Singapore (Singapore, 2002).

His epic Mujer Indigena and novel (H)istoryador(a) won the Centennial Literary Prize in 1998. On Balagtas Day of the same year, Vim became the youngest recipient of the Recognition Award from the Commission on Filipino Language, the same body known formerly as Institute of National Language that proclaimed him youngest Poet of the Year in 1985. He has also won in the National Book Awards, Rizal International Filipino Poetry Contest, Gawad Collantes, Palanca Awards, Carlos Bulosan Award. Other awards include the Gawad Leopoldo Yabes, Gawad Parangal ng Quezon, Gawad Chancellor, and TOYM. A prolific editor, critic, columnist, translator and author, his latest books are Poetreat: The Use of Poetry Therapy in Mutual Support Groups of Cancer Survivors in Metro Manila (UST, 2000) and Asinta: Mga Tula at Tudla (UST, 2002). Vim is at present the seventh, and the youngest, Director of the UP Institute of Creative Writing.

Reviews

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nanalo ng Ikalawang Gantimpala sa Epiko noong Centennial Literary Contest 1898-1998 na itinaguyod ng Philippine Centennial Commission. Parang yong pagbabasa ko kamakailan lang ng "Impyerno ni Dante Alegheri." Konting basa ng saknong at linya, tapos pag may footnote, buklat sa huling bahagi ng libro. Sulit naman ang oras. Maikli lang ang epiko: 60 pahina. Pero maraming natutunan lalo na yong mga unang persona.

Bale ang kuwento ay 12 persona na sumanib kay Mujer Indigena (Sa Filipino: Katutubong Babae) ay isang-isang umawit [ang epiko ay tulang kinakanta habang namamangka o nag-iinuman sa paraang pasalaysay (p.61)]. Bawat isang persona ay magsasalaysay ng bahagi ng kasaysayan ng bansa partikular ang pinagdaanan ng Filipina mula noong tayo'y mga pagano pa (bago dumating ang mga kastila) hanggang sa kasalukuyan (panahon ni Estrada). Bawat isang persona ay may partikular na panahon at may parunggit sa kung sino ang persona sa bahagi ng ating bansa at sa kasaysayan nito. Habang nagbabasa, naiisip ko, bakit ginawa ni Dr. Nadera (ang makata)na taal ang mga sinasambit na salita o pangyayari sa lugar kung saan nanahan ang persona. Yon pala may intensyon siya na ipakita ang paginog ng kasaysayan ng bansa sa pasalaysay na pagawit sa tula. Maari ring nais ipakita ng makata na kahit ang mga nasa lalawigan ay mulat sa nangyayari sa iba't ibang panig ng bansa. Walang rehiyonalismo.

Nakakawiling basahin ang akda. Nakakatawa ang mga sinasabi ng mga persona (o sanib). Parang kuhang-kuha ni Dr. Nadera kung paano tumatakbo ang utak ng mga babae sa iba't ibang panahon ng ating kasaysayan. May nakakalungkot din gaya ng kay Anitera na naging comfort woman noong panahon ng Hapon at ang salaysay ng Madre na naging aktibista noong panahon ng Martial Law ni Marcos.

Salamat sa isang makabuluhang akda, Dr. Nadera!